1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paging and servicing system for transfer of information among several classes of parties. In particular, the system includes a backup means wherein a party requesting service is assured of being serviced.
2. Description of a Prior Art
While the present invention has devised primarily for use in the play of the game of Keno, it has much broader use in the general art wherein a user may be serviced, such as patients in hospitals, customers in restaurants, and in general paging and answering service systems.
The game of Keno is a game of chance based upon the selection of one number or a combination of numbers by a player in the hopes that randomly selected numbers by the gaming establishment will match his selected numbers, for which payment will be made in accordance with the rules of probability. Specifically, a Keno player who desires to place bets, marks one or more numbers on a ticket and signals an employee to take his bet. Such an employee is called a runner. The runner returns the marked ticket from this and any other players to a cashier, who takes the money and the marked tickets from the runner. A verification mark is stamped on each numbered space marked by the player, as well as with a receipt number and game number. The ticket is returned to the runner who, in turn, returns it to the player. After the game is played, the runner obtains a punched overlay or equivalent showing the winning numbers. These are taken to each of the players, and at the player's table the overlay is compared with his verified ticket to determine his winnings, if any. Any new bets and newly marked tickets are then taken. The winning numbers are selected by a controller who utilizes a random selection process. The selected numbers are displayed on a scoreboard. As indicated, the runner contacts each player three times during the play of the game, which is a requirement by the State Gaming Commission, e.g., Nevada.
This conventional method of servicing players and displaying scores requires that the casino runner be verbally requested or flagged down. Alternatively, the ticket holder at the player's table may include a flashing light to catch the attention of the runner. In both cases, the Keno runner must be informed either by being flagged down or by noticing a flashing light. Each case requires some visual contact between the runner and the player. One problem which arises from this servicing system is that the runner may not see the player and, therefore, not be of service. Such problems arise especially in very active or crowded situations in which there may be many players requesting service, but service may not be provided to all whether by purpose or by inadvertence. This results in disgruntled players as well as lost revenue to the casino.
A further problem relates to the scoring which is presently displayed on a large wall-mounted board. The board has lighted numbers on it which are lit according to the randomly selected numbers. Typically, one scoreboard is mounted in each room; however, the boards are sometimes obstructed or hard to view and, therefore, the players may not be able to follow the play of the selected numbers.
Aside from the particular use for which the present invention was devised, there are many similar types of calling and paging systems. One is a waitresses' call system, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,707. There, the call system is activated by a multiplicity of switches, one per customer table. The switches activate a transmitter which transmits a distinctive frequency identifying the appropriate table. A reciever mounted on the waitress's tray is coupled to a plurality of signal lights corresponding to the customers' tables so that a particular table requesting assistance will activate the appropriate light on the waitress's tray. In a manner similar to that described with respect to the Keno game, if a waitress is busy she may not service the requesting customer or the customer may not know that his order is ready.
In a hospital call system, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,217, an automatic remote control call system transmits coded signals to selected remote units to advise nurses of calls which require their attention. Portable receivers carried by nurses allow them to be advised of calls requesting their assistance, even if they are not in the immediate vicinity of the control nurses' call station. A similar problem arises with this system, in that a nurse may be unavailable and, therefore, there is no one to be advised that the patient needs service.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,796,668 shows a restaurant monitoring system of signal lights connected to the seats and menus, allowing the attendant to know precisely the order of each patron at each particular seat. There is an attendant communication signal allowing the patron to request any additional assistance by pressing a key which illuminates to the attendant the seat desiring assistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,955,279 discloses a selective paging system using a radio pulse call recognition circuit which provides an audible signal to the person paged. A portable receiver recognizes predetermined coded signals of electrical impulses generated by a radio transmitter at a central location.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,634,824 describes a signaling system of remote transmitters utilizing predetermined tone pulses which provide an information response to an integration signal transmitted by a central station.
U.S. Pat No. 3,715,726 shows a selected tone signaling apparatus using a three-digit call number and encoder values indicative of the desired tone encoding scheme. The call number encoder values are processed through a frequency divider network generating the desired tone appropriate to the user's call number.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,974 relates to a digital data transmission and remote control system in which mutual interference by transmitters is eliminated through sequencing thereof. The tone system is compatible with single system area operation or plural system, plural area operation.